London Design Festival 2013

The London Design Festival celebrated its eleventh birthday September 14-22nd with over 300 different shows and events over nine days. It was impossible for BlogTour London to cover it all but we managed to cover a fair amount of ground.

DAY 1: designJunction

This year designjunction returned to the 1960s Postal Sorting Office in Central London where a cutting-edge line-up of renowned international brands and emerging design talent were presented across three floors of the impressive 120,000 sq ft venue. New for 2013 was lightjunction, London’s first trade fair dedicated to very best in decorative lighting.

We began the show with an introduction to the much anticipated UK debut of Kartell by Laufen. I may have to give them their own post later just to discuss their revolutionary SaphirKeramik.

I think this quote from the award-winning designers Ludovica+Roberto Palomba sums up the collection best.

“An architectural project, which speaks a new language. Innovative, rich in emotion,
transparency and colour. The Kartell by Laufen bathroom is the synthesis of the work
we have done in recent years in the world of the bathroom and represents an important
step forward in this sector”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuGDdLFbPEY

After exploring the show we met up again for Dinner hosted by Laufen at Jamie Oliver’s pop-up restaurant Barbecoa in partnership with Modus furniture. Barbecoa is renowned for its flame inspired cooking and widely praised for their original and smoked flavored dishes. I found out the menu was specifically created for the show – their first-ever pop-up venture. We dined on signature favorites of pit-smoked pulled pork sandwiches, smoked short ribs with chipotle tomato salsa, loaded BLT sandwiches with home smoked porchetta and a delicious chicken cobb salad. There were also the most incredible desserts shared around the table.

During our dinner we met some of the members from the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection, designjunction’s main sponsor. The Visa Luxury Hotel Collection is a premium travel program enabling Visa Premium cardholders to find, book and enjoy exclusive benefits at more than 900 prestigious properties around the world — from boutique to celebrated designer hotels.

Little did I realize at the time, but designjunction established a lighting theme for me during the Festival.

More Highlights

September 2, 2013

Cashmere by Kreoo

Kreoo by Decormarmi, known for their exquisite stone vessels and furniture, has introduced a new marble sink called Cashmere.

The brand name, Kreoo, is inspired by the Greek word “kraino” which means to produce or create and in its conjugation kreion means “the one who odes and creates.” Kreoo was launched as an offshoot of parent company Decormarmi in 2010. Italian Designer Enzo Berti, who was inspired by Scandinavian designers associated with the Mid-Century Modern period, created the collection for Kreoo.

Crafted in Italy’s Vicenza area using traditional techniques passed down through generations of stone workers, the Cashmere sink is an oval bowl with an extension that becomes a functional surface to hold small soaps or other cosmetic items. I think it resembles a kitchen measuring spoon – just a little bit.

Cashmere is available in Calcutta. It may be offered in Estremoz White; Marquina Black and St Marie Grey in the future.

The Cashmere vessel can be combined with Kreoo’s storage cabinetry called Wood Box or sit atop their beautiful marble Console Table. The unique shape lends a sense of personality to the bathroom that a standard oval sink does not offer.

April 29, 2013June 14, 2017

New Ravenna Miraflores Mosaic Collection

New Ravenna Miraflores Tile | KitchAnn Style

New Ravenna Mosaics has introduced a new tile collection in collaboration with designer Paul Schatz. The Miraflores Collection contains 18 natural-stone mosaic designs inspired by Paul Schatz’s travels throughout the Latin countries of Spain, Portugal and Mexico. Continue reading “New Ravenna Miraflores Mosaic Collection”

January 23, 2013

Color Trends

Are you thinking about remodeling your bathroom?

Have you torn out a collection of magazine pages showing beautiful baths clad in white marble and white fixtures?

While white fixtures will remain timeless, the color choices for your walls are shifting towards darker grays. (Gray = American while Grey = UK)

I prefer warm grays over cool grays. Although sometimes a cooler gray will look great with Carrara Marble.

Gray works in many different styles of homes. It’s perfect for a rustic modern or loft-style home, a traditional home with a modern feel or a contemporary home.

You might also enjoy: Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2015

If decorating around a theme, gray is perfect for creating a Zen bathroom.

Consider if giving your bath a new look with a simple coat of gray paint. Light or dark, it will be anything but boring. Adding accents of color with towels, flowers and soaps is an inexpensive way to quickly keep a room looking fresh.